Dangerous Deception
by SexySesshieSama
Summary: Naga has the Gift, he has a Goal, and there is only one thing standing in his way...A demon named Yoko Kurama. The fox who ruined his life and threatens to destroy all he could ever hope for. The Snake won't let The Fox get away with this...


1**Dangerous Deception**

_Part One_

**Before Author's Note**: Not a yaoi, not a yuri, not a lemon – rated PG-13 for language and violence. Probably not even a romance – unrequited love does not count – so why someone would not want to read this is beyond me...unless they only read stories that are the above things I just mentioned. Ah well, can't please everybody.

Nagari Suniko, also known as Naga or "The Snake", made his way up the trunk of the ancient demon tree, his goal resting at the top of its high branches. Intent upon his end reward, he saw and felt nothing else; not the breeze in his hair, the silence in his ears or the instincts within the recesses of his own mind urging him to turn back, give up, leave it be, get away, go elsewhere, run...Nothing registered with him; nothing but what he could almost reach from here; just a few more feet...

For so long, too long, he has been having dreams about this moment – nightmares that bring him almost to what he seeks, ending just as he reaches out to touch his prize. Oftentimes the tree is never-ending so that he can go on for an eternity, his goal forever just out of reach, unattainable for an eternity. And then, every once in a while, these annoying dreams become genuinely frightening. They depict him reaching this desired new height to find...nothing. The box is there, but...it's empty. Those bother him the most, because as Mentor said often, this prize he seeks – although worth all he must go through – is a difficult and demanding mistress. It may not be there when he reaches it. He has to earn the pleasure of opening that box and receiving the glory inside; if he has been deemed unworthy...no prize for him.

Mentor also mentioned that one shot is all he would get. One time he may open that box, and if he has been deemed unworthy, then that's it. A lifetime of pain and suffering and devotion is thrown out the window without a second thought. This is why the Goddess's followers have diminished in number over the years – no one wants to work hard, and if they do, then they don't want to be faced with the horrible and very real possibility of failure.

Naga's Mentor is one of the few High Priests left for the Goddess. Naga is only a disciple, but thanks to his Gift, he has risen in the ranks by title quickly – technically a Junior Priest, he is only just under the level of his Mentor. However, for his age and experience he is still treated as a Novice – so the Goddess has taught, so it shall be.

But he knows he's her favorite.

However, he has always given it his all, for with Gods nothing is certain. All being her favorite means that if he fails he shall be punished worse; she expects him to succeed, and so everything is harder for him. Success is greeted with greater rewards, yes, but that only means that failure results in more painful and longer lasting punishment, putting a lot of pressure on one so young. It hurts Mentor's heart, but he dares not contradict the Goddess. He is hers, and he does not question her methods, teachings or reasons. She is a higher being, and only through years and years of hard work may the most favored ever attain the wonders of being at her right-hand for all of eternity.

Almost...there. Naga can see it, see the golden box, sitting atop the green leaves just as it has been described to him so many times before. Mentor has shared with him the time, years ago, when he opened the box for himself...the euphoric bliss you feel cannot be described, he said, and this mystery only made Naga want it more. Finally, the time has arrived...Will I be worthy of Her Grace? Will I disappoint her, or will I...

He cleared the trunk, and for a moment he could not see anything, the millions of green leaves surrounding him, rendering him blind. He continued onward through the second of the Goddess's challenges: Conviction. Able to go on and overcome any obstacle virtually – or actually – blind with only the promise of the Goddess, the reason for the Goddess, faith in the Goddess to guide you from the depths of your very soul. Are you worthy – do you believe in the Goddess? If you do not, then why should she believe in you? The first challenge, of course, would be the dreams – the third being the box opening. Perseverance and Evaluation. You must go on, never back down, despite any and all intimidation and self-doubt, especially when coming from the Goddess and your own self. And at the end everything is summed up, once you reach here you can do no more, your true test having begun at birth, taken through your whole life, graded at the last second to share with you as soon as the contents can be seen...whatever they may be.

Finally, Naga emerged from out of that suffocating sea of leaves, gulping down air as if he had been denied it for years as opposed to seconds. Finally his eyes adjusted to the blare of the sun and he saw it – up close and glorious for the first time.

It's...beautiful.

The box was made of pure gold, although since it is the worldly personification of a Goddess, the material is undoubtably of something stronger, more beautiful and more valuable than plain old gold as we know and revere it. Swirled within the golden, other-worldly material was a sort of molten silver, which seemed to shine even when not touched by the sun; it took Naga a moment to realize that it was moving on its own, as if still hardening, possessed. The clasp was a simple blood-red ruby, and around the edge of the lid where top meets bottom – as well as on the hinges – onyx, emerald and sapphire stones were set, as if they were a crown. Pearls were placed around the bottom, pink, white, black and all the colors inbetween.

He could feel the Goddess's aura emanating from off of this little box, hardly bigger than the palms of his hands; he recognized it from his innermost dreams and visions, the ones filled with hope and personal meaning he has yet to understand. This was it. Time for Evaluation. If only he can find the courage, even after so long...

Time seemed to drag on forever. Naga did not try to hurry, and even if he had everything would have been slowed. As it was an eternity passed as he reached for the box, undid one clasp, then the other. Everything was slow and sluggish, and Naga tried to absorb the moment in all it's beauty, but...he couldn't. Everything was moving too slowly against his will, his heart beating at what seemed to be a horrendously quick rate, as if all was normal, usual, magnifying its effects immensely.

Finally the lid was free, and time began to move normally again. Naga hadn't even noticed that he neglected to breathe; a few deep, nervous breaths later, he steeled himself, reminding his subconscious mind that he had gone too far to back out now – it would fail if he bolted, so his only chance lay ahead...He pushed back the lid, not knowing what he expected to find.

Whatever it was, it wasn't this.

Mentor had told him of his own experiences with the Goddess's Golden Glory – and never did he mention a black velvet lining with nothing else but a small scroll. Not even when he spoke of the ones who had failed had such a thing surfaced. Removing the rolled up papyrus from the chest, he closed the lid and studied it briefly. It was elegant, lined in gold, rolled up neatly – but it was neither impressive nor uplifting. As he unrolled it, he realized what this was – a virtual excuse telling him that the test, for lack of better terms, had been postponed.

The writing was thin, airy, curled, elegant and in the Ancient Tongue of the God's Worldly Servants. It simply read:

_Nagari...You are on the edge between failure and success...You are not yet ready to be weighed properly...Your soul is burdened...Fix all past grievances and problems, then return a new and unhindered man...Suniko_

Mentor had mentioned such things to Naga once before. In case the Goddess is ambivalent about the merits of a follower – which happens often – and she feels that the testee is worthy of a retry – which is very rare – she will send them a note such as this, as opposed to a real answer. A burden upon his soul...Naga could think of no such thing—

But of course! The Goddess knows all. He does have such a burden. Hatred and revenge against the one who ruined his life; although this action led to the discoverance of the faith and his Mentor, Naga has never and could never forgive that murderer...

In order to taste heaven, he must drag his offender to hell. He ruined his life, and now he threatens to ruin his afterlife. Yoko Kurama must die.

**End Author's Note**: I have no idea what possessed me to write this story. I just wanted to write a fanfic to potentially put up here, and before I knew it...BAM! This was written. It's pretty good, I do suppose. Don't worry, the action and such with ensue soon enough. OCs are not abundant – I am only planning on three including the main one at the moment; the fictional goddess does not count (although maybe she should) – and the fanfiction is underlaid in what could very easily be an original piece of fiction. I hope you like it anyway; please review, enjoy and return again soon! TTFN, I will say more in the next chapter – HA, don't I always? (Also – explaining the title and its brief history :cough – ten minutes – cough: as well as...other...things?)


End file.
